


Do we have a deal?

by kiwirainbow



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien and Plagg will cause chaos in the Agreste household, Adrien finally does what he wants, Adrien is a little shit and I love my chaos boy, Gabriel is furious, Gen, Identity Reveal, Maybe later? I have no clue, Nathalie is annoyed, No relationships as of now - Freeform, Protect Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Rating might go up but I doubt it, but not for who you think it is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29730873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwirainbow/pseuds/kiwirainbow
Summary: After discovering Duusu floating around his room, Adrien has to deal with the fact two of the three adults in his life were the villians that he was fighting all along. He could wallow in self pity and seek comfort from his Lady, or he could use this knowledge against them.....
Comments: 21
Kudos: 100





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello world it is 2 am and I wrote some bullshit. I rated the fic Teen because of light cursing, which will probably get worse as the fic goes on....  
> Anywho I love the concept of Adrien being a bastard and causing problems on purpose, so I wrote a fic about it. Correction, I am WRITING a fic about it. I already have two chapters written, but only one will be posted tonight. Not sure how long this will go on for, but the story has a built in timeline so I may follow that.  
> Keep in mind, I am a tired college student with a lot of homework, so if this takes a while to update....oops.

Adrien was just finishing up homework for the weekend when he saw a flash of blue across his computer screen. He turned, glancing around his bedroom to find the...whatever it was that reflected on his screen just a moment ago. 

It was a few minutes past midnight, so he knew Plagg was fast asleep on his cheese infested pillow. It couldn’t have been Plagg anyway. Plagg was black. 

No, whatever it was must have been long gone since any sign of a blue blob was gone. He turned back to his computer screen, determined to finish the last question on his physics homework. 

A few minutes went by and nothing happened. Adrien was closing out the tabs on his computer, concluding that it was just the late hour and the lack of sleep from the previous night that caused him to see things. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Then, just as quickly as the first time, the same blue speck raced by and this time, Adrien turned around just in time to catch a royal blue peacock thing in his hands. 

“You caught me! That was so much fun, let’s do it again! ” The peacock tried to wiggle its way out of Adriens’ hands, but he was holding it too tight. “Uh, sir, you have to let go if you want to play the game again.” 

“You’re a kwami.” Adrien finally realized. Though, what was the peacock kwami doing in his room? Shouldn’t he be with Mayura? 

Wait, how did Mayuras’ kwami get into his room?

“Well of course,” the peacock squeezed out of Adriens’ hands and excitedly floated around him, making circles around Adriens’ body, “I’m Duusu, the kwami of Emotion and you’re Chat Noir! I didn’t know that until I came up here and saw Plagg, but now I know and it’s so cool that there are three kwamis living here. We could all hang out together and play games and chat and-”

“Wait hold on.” Adrien cut Duusu off, obviously confused. “You said there were three kwamis in the mansion. Who’s the third?”

“Nooroo, of course!” Duusu came to a stop at eye level with Adrien. “Though, his master never lets him leave his side. I really feel bad for Nooroo, he never gets to have any fun.” Duusu burst into tears, howling loud enough that Plagg woke from his cheese filled dream to fly over. 

“Whose crying disturbed my camembert dream? Adrien, you know how precious that dream is to me,” Plagg floated next to Adrien, but came to a halt when his eyes landed on his old friend, “D-Duusu? Is that really you?”

“PLAGG!!” Duusu’s crying ceased and he flew to Plagg, crushing him with a hug. “You smell like cheese!! Oh I missed you. You have to come see my holder, she and Nooroo’s master always go on and on and on about getting the ladybug and black cat miraculouses so I think they really just want to meet you! Come on, I’ll show you to them now!” 

Duusu almost dragged him out of the room before Plagg snapped out of the daze of seeing his old friend again and held Duusu back. Plagg looked at Duusu, worry stretched across his face. Adrien realized how long it’s been since Plagg has seen the other kwami, but there were bigger issues than this unusual reunion.

“Duusu,” the kwami turns to Adrien, “were you saying that, because you and Nooroo are here, that means Hawkmoth and Mayura also live here?” 

Duusu thought for a moment, hesitant to answer. “I’m not sure Mayura would want me to tell you that.”

Adrien sat back in his desk chair. If Duusu and Nooroo were both in the mansion, as the former claimed, then it was reasonable to say that Hawkmoth and Mayura also lived at the mansion. The only two people beside himself were his father and Nathalie, who moved in a few months ago when she started coming down with the same ailment as his mother. So, three kwamis; three people. Adrien already was Chat Noir, so that solves that problem. Hawkmoth was obviously a man and Mayura a woman, so that would mean…. 

Adrien only saw one possible outcome and he wasn’t sure he liked it.

“My father is Hawkmoth and Nathalie is Mayura.” 

Duusu didn’t confirm that statement, but his downward cast was all the confirmation Adrien needed.

“That musty old man is Hawkmoth?” Plagg raged at no one in particular. “He’s not only been keeping my holder captive, but also my friend?” 

Plagg looked like he was about to cataclysm something and no matter how much satisfaction Adrien would have at seeing this prison crumble, now wasn’t the time.

“Plagg! Calm down, everything will be fine, we can use this.”

“ _ Use  _ this?” Plagg swerved toward Adrien, a burning rage in his eyes. “He’s been terrorizing Paris for years now, what exactly are you going to ‘use’?”

Adrien paused. He hadn’t exactly thought that far ahead when he said the words. Adrien was really hoping Plagg would come up with one of his little schemes, but it seemed Adrien would have to come up with something himself. “We could use Father’s identity against him. You’ve always hated him and wanted revenge, what perfect way to get revenge than to use his villain persona against him.”

Plagg appeared to be considering the idea because he calmed down a bit. A small smile crept on the little gods’ face when he said, “You’re giving me permission to cause chaos?”

  
“Oh no, Plagg,” Adrien smiled as well, “ _ We _ are going to cause chaos.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Adrien to enact his little plan...what will happen with our little Sunshine boy? Read to find out...

Adrien woke up that morning slightly drowsy, but no worse than the other night. Him and Plagg spent almost all night planning what utter chaos they could cause with their new found knowledge. Adrien got ready that morning knowing that their plans would work. It had to, or else he was going to be in deep shit. 

Throwing on black sweatpants and his favorite Ladybug t-shirt, Adrien sauntered down to the dining room. Phase one of his and Plagg’s plan: dress in an outfit his father would absolutely despise. Merch of his father’s archenemy? Check.

Passing Nathalie into the dining room and not saying his usual ‘good morning,’ Adrien sat down and waited for his father to not show up, like usual. 

“Nathalie, is father not joining me for breakfast?” Adrien knew the answer already, but he was just getting ready to drop the other shoe. 

“No, Adrien, your father is very busy.” Nathalie didn’t even bother to look up from her tablet. That gave all the incentive he needed to enact his next plan. 

“I’m sorry, Nathalie, let me rephrase.” Adrien clasped his hands together on top of the table, a smirk forming on his lips.  _ Here it comes _ , he thought. “Is  _ Hawkmoth _ not joining me for breakfast,  _ Mayura _ ?” Adrien looked Nathalie in the eyes when he dropped her villain name, and at the right moment too because Nathalie visibly blanched when she heard that name.

Nathalie lowered her tablet to look at Adrien, searching for any sign he was joking, but, to her dismay, he was not. “I-I will see if he can come.” 

“Please do.” Adrien turned back to his breakfast as Nathalie stiffly walked out of the dining room and, presumably, to his father’s office. She came back a few minutes later with a rather peeved Gabriel, visibly unamused by his son’s new dose of bullshit.  _ Good _ , Adrien thought, _ he’s mad. Time to make it worse _ . “Please have a seat, Father, there are a few things I would like to discuss with you.” 

“Whatever game you’re playing isn’t funny, Adrien.” Gabriel remarked coldly. “I am busy and you cannot just throw wild accusations around like that.” 

“Oh they’re not accusations, they’re facts.” Adrien leaned back in his seat, clasped hands resting on his stomach. “What other conclusion, other than you’re Hawkmoth and Nathalie is Mayura, am I to come to when Duusu himself graced me with his presence just last night.” At the sound of his name, Duusu poked his head out from behind Nathalie, who looked very unamused. 

“So you saw a kwami, that proves nothing.”

“That proves everything,” Adrien started, “and how would you know he was called a kwami, if you yourself are not a miraculous holder?” 

“What about you?” His father asked. “How do you even know they’re called miraculouses? How are you unphased by seeing a kwami, if you also aren’t a miraculous holder?”

“Fine, since we’re sharing, I am Chat Noir and you two will give me your miraculouses,” Adrien held out his hand, but snatched it back just as he said, “or, we could make a deal.” 

“I’m not in the mood for your games, Adrien.” Gabriel scowled at his son, not happy that his son was enjoying this so much. 

Good.

“I’ll give you one month,” Adrien said, “to capture Ladybugs’ and my miraculouses, or else you will forfeit both of your miraculouses to me. Your identity will remain a secret, but you won’t be able to terrorize Paris anymore. The miraculouses can only be captured in a fair fight, however. Whether it be akumas, amoks, or yourselves, but it has to be a fair fight. You can’t snatch my ring in the middle of the night and I can’t take your brooches when you aren’t looking. If you win in a fight, so be it. If I win, well you already know what happens since I do it every week! But, if you try to take my miraculous unfairly, not only will I tell Ladybug your identities, but I’ll also tell Alya Cesaire, the Ladyblogger, and you know how fast news travels with her.”

Gabriel didn’t like the conditions, but he considered it, knowing his identity and entire life was on the line. “And if I do not agree to these terms?” 

“Then I’ll call Alya right now.” Adrien took out his phone just to show how serious he was. “I think she’d love to hear about the identities of Paris’ terrorists, don’t you think?” 

Nathalie huffed, fingers lifting up her glasses as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. “Sir, please just accept your sons’ terms. We’ve been failing for four years now, one month won’t make a difference.” 

But Gabriel was not done questioning his son. “What is the point to all of this? Why not just take our brooches?” 

“Because I’m sick of following your every rule, Father.” Adrien started, becoming more tense the longer he spoke. “Using your miraculouses and identities against you seems like the only way to enact any real change around here. So that’s what I’m doing. Everything that I am about to say is included in the deal, so if you deny me anything, I will reveal your identities.”

Adrien waited for his father to tell him to continue. Instead Gabriel motioned for Nathalie to take notes on her tablet. 

That was as good of a signal as any.

“First, I want to dress how I want. No more Gabriel brand clothes, they were boring. I want to wear what I want when I want, without your input. I also want to do what I want. No more schedules, no more endless photoshoots and lessons that take up my free time. I never really liked all that stuff anyway, I want to do activities that I actually like and not ones you picked out for me. Also, the kwamis should get free roam around the mansion. Most of the time it’s just us, the kitchen staff only come during meal times and the cleaning people only come once a week. You’ve been keeping Nooroo and Duusu locked up for too long, let them do what they want.” 

At that, Duusu springs out from behind Nathalie and zooms around the dining room. Nathalie made no effort to stop him when she gave Gabriel, silently urging him to agree. With one last huff, Gabriel turned to Adrien. “Fine, you have yourself a deal, but if in your new found free time you find a way to ruin the Gabriel brand, the deal is off and we will play a very different game.” 

Adrien held out his hand for his father to shake. Gabriel reluctantly shook it, sealing the deal.

Adrien’s bastardization level shot up to 100. He was about to, metaphorically speaking, ruin this whole mans’ career.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #LetAdrienCauseProblemsOnPurpose2k21  
> I love this Sunshine child and I am so ready to see him fuck around with Gabriel's patience, it's what he deserves :)  
> *  
> *  
> I'll probably update this on the weekends, sine the weekdays are pretty busy for me. Not sure how long this fic will be, but once I have an end planned out I'll add the max amount of chapters.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien's plan was set in motion...but what will be tell his precious Ladybug?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say I was going to update on weekends, but here I am updating at midnight on a Friday....  
> Also thank you everyone for the kudos and comments!! I love reading what everyone says and honestly, it's so much more motivating knowing that y'all are enjoying this!!  
> One last thing: if you see spelling/grammar mistakes...no you don't <3

Adrien walked into class that same day with a new found confidence. 

He’s never really stood up to his father before, much less made a petty deal with him, but there he was reveling in his success as he sat next to Nino in the front row. 

“Woah dude,” Nino looked up and down at Adrien, taking in his rather lazy attire, “your dad let you leave the house like that?”

Adrien frowned and looked at his clothes. He was still wearing the Ladybug shirt and black sweats. He had meant to change after he confronted his father, but it’s too late now. “Surprisingly yes, but after today Father is going to be more lenient on a lot of things.” Adrien smiled smugly, which his best friend caught and cocked his head.

“Lenient? As in, you’re getting more freedom?” 

“That was part of our deal.” 

“BRO!” Nino crushed Adrien in a hug. “Does this mean we actually get to hang out outside of school?” Adrien hugged him back, glad that his best friend was just as excited as he was.

“Yeah!” Adrien leaned out of the hug to look at Nino when an idea popped in his head. “Hey, why don’t you come over after school today? We can play this new game I got last week! I haven’t been able to play it yet since it requires two players. You should totally come over.” 

As Adrien finished his sentence he saw Alya walk in with a frazzled Marinette, breathing heavily likely from her sprinting to make it to school on time. Alya waved at him and Nino, she wore a cream sweater and jeans, perfect for the coming fall weather, as she walked up to the boys. Marinette finally regulated her breathing when she looked up and waved with a soft smirk. 

Marinette was wearing a light pink turtleneck sweater that complimented her bluebell eyes surprisingly well. Her white overcoat matched her knee-length pleated skirt. The high waisted skirt hugged her waist nicely and her regular pink purse sat where her hips were. Adrien would deny he ever stopped breathing when he saw her and dumbly waved back. 

“So what were you boys all excited about?” Alya half sat on the desk in front of Nino. “We could hear your little ‘bro moment’ from the school entrance.” 

“Adrien’s dad is giving him more freedom, so he invited me over to play this new video game today!” Nino excitedly rehashed their conversation to the girls. 

Alya looked down at Adrien with a smile. “Adrien I’m really happy for you. Your dad is an ass and you deserve all the free rein you can get, but,” Alya looked at Nino, eyebrows raised, “Nino, don’t you have something else going on tonight...maybe an...anniversary dinner?” 

Nino’s eyes grew bigger as he realized what Alya was hinting at. “Fuck me,” Nino facepalmed and looked at Adrien apologetically, “I’m sorry bro, Alya and I had dinner plans tonight for our anniversary.” 

“But,” Alya dragged out the last syllable and reached for her friend to drag her forward a bit, “Marinette is free.” 

“Huh? I am?” Marinette looked genuinely confused, caught in her daze of staring at Adrien’s Ladybug shirt.

“Wait really?” Adrien snapped his head towards the girl in question. “Would you come over? The game requires two people and you would be perfect to play it with!” 

“It’s not Super Penguino, is it?” Alya jokingly said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Because I’m sure Marinette would love to play that with you, right girl?”

“Alya!.” Marinette’s face became pink almost instantly at what her friend said. “Please tell me it’s not Super Penguino, Adrien.” 

“It’s...not,” Adrien scrunched his eyebrows and looked back and forth between the two best friends, “though I’m not sure why that matters. Am I missing a joke here?” 

“I’m sorry,” Alya put her hand on the desk and leaned toward Adrien, “you’re seventeen and still don’t know what Super Penguino is for?” 

“Give him a break, Alya,” Marinette playfully smacks her other arm, “it’s not his fault he’s so innocent.” She ends that sentence with a smile, obviously not meaning what she’s saying in an accusatory fashion. That was one of the things Adrien liked about Mari, she was never too harsh with people but never afraid to poke fun. 

“His innocence is what makes him our precious sunshine boy.” Nino wrapped his arms around Adrien’s shoulders and pulled him down onto Nino’s shoulder, petting his hair as he continued. “If he knew anything beyond the occasional fluff, all hope would be lost.” Nino sighed dramatically as everyone snickered and the girls made their way to their seats. Adrien pushed off Nino, laughing at his friends’ banter. 

Adrien was glad to have his friends. They were always there for him and made him feel like a normal kid instead of the son of a world renowned fashion designer, and now supervillain. He wondered how they would react if they found out his father was Hawkmoth. Alya and Nino would probably fight him, and he now knowing that they used to be Rena Rogue and Carapace put that probability at the top. Oh yeah, they would definitely fist fight his father, even without their super suits. 

Adrien normally doesn’t condone violence (outside of an akuma attack, of course, because if not he’d be a hypocrite), but he would pay good money to see his best friend and his best friend’s girlfriend try to fight his dad. 

Adrien doesn’t know how Marinette would respond, though. They’ve grown closer over the years and she stopped stammering about a year ago. He kind of missed the cute way Marinette would get flustered after she stuttered a few words, but he was glad she could speak full sentences around him now. Adrien learned that she was just as kind and selfless as he always knew her to be, but so much more than he initially thought. He learned how much she loves her parents and does anything to help them out in the bakery. He found out that she always makes hand-made presents for people’s birthdays every year, from clothes to jewelry and even knick-knacks. Adrien’s seen her confidently lead a class discussion and break up fights with ease. 

Now that Adrien thought about it, Marinette would 100% fight his father. And with her being Multimouse that one time, he knew that she could fight. 

Adrien was snapped out of his thoughts by Nino poking on his arm, trying to get his attention as Miss. Bustier started her lecture. “Hey dude, how  _ did _ you get your dad to give you more freedom?” 

Adrien gave him the most shit-eating grin he could muster. He never promised his father and Nathalie he wouldn’t tell Nino. 

“My father is Hawkmoth.” 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adrien arrived home after school alone. He was disappointed that Marinette couldn’t come over and play video games, claiming she had to complete a commission for Kitty Section by tomorrow, but he understood. She was pretty busy a lot of the time designing all kinds of things for her friends, so he wasn’t exactly surprised when Marinette asked for a raincheck. 

Adrien strolled into the marble foyer and looked around the empty room. The portrait of him and his father had been updated in the past year, showing Adrien almost at the same height as his father, though still wearing that same downcast expression and all black attire. 

He always hated that portrait, preferring the one in the dining room of his complete family. Speaking of, where was his father? Adrien cautiously walked toward his father’s office and carefully creaked open the large door. He looked through the tiny crack and saw Gabriel standing over his work station, seemingly lost in thought over a new design.

_ Or planning his next akuma _ , a part of Adrien thought bitterly.

Well if he was planning a new akuma, maybe Adrien could delay him by bothering him. 

Only one way to find out. 

Adrien shoved open the door and waltz into the office. Gabriel looked up at the sudden disturbance in disdain. “Can I help you, Adrien? Or are you here to be a nuisance?” His father sneered at his son. Adrien was already enjoying this.

“To be a nuisance.” Adrien jumped down into the lower seating section and propped his legs up on the wall adjacent, channeling his inner Chat Noir. “What are you working on? New akuma design? I hope it’s better than the last..” Adrien tried to do the math in his head.  _ It’s been four years and he akumatizes someone about once a week so…. _ “It’s gotta be close to 200 now, right?” 

“If you are here to gloat I don’t want to hear it.” His father continued to tap his monitor, ignoring his son as much as he could. 

“I’m not gloating,” Adrien feigned innocence, “I’m just saying you could do better on those other akuma designs. You did good with Stormy Weather and Lady Wifi and I could even argue Reflekta.” Adrien did have fun walking in those heels, he’s not gonna lie. “But you did hit a low at Bubbler and Volpina.” 

Gabriel looked up at the comment, puzzled. “What, exactly, was wrong with Volpina’s costume?” 

“Oh, nothing. I just hate her.” 

His father went back to focusing on the monitor with a huff. “You cannot judge my akuma designs based on whether you hate the person being akumatized,” He paused as he exited out of the design on his monitor and looked up at Adrien, “but you are right, Bubbler was not my best.” 

Adrien was glad his father was admitting his mistakes. Now it was time to poke the bear. “You know what also wasn’t your best akuma? Style Queen.” Adrien remembered another akuma he wasn’t particularly fond of. “Also Gorizilla.” 

“Why those, Adrien?” 

“Well I wasn’t exactly safe during those akumas, now was I, Father?” Adrien tilted his head in an accusatory manner at his father. He hoped he hit a nerve in that thick wall his father keeps around him. 

Bingo! A quick look of guilt flashed across his father’s face before it hardened. “You could have avoided any danger if you had just transformed, Adrien.” 

“I would have been in a lot more danger if I revealed my identity, wouldn’t I, Father?” 

Gabriel’s frown deepened at Adrien’s comment. “Get out.” 

“Fine,” Adrien started to get up and walk out, knowing his father’s temper had a limit and it seemed the pot was boiling, “but only if Nooroo comes with me.” If Adrien was going to avoid his father’s wrath, Nooroo should too. 

“Nooroo stays with me at all times, that is not up for negotiation.” 

“Except you agreed to let the kwamis free roam,” Adrien pointed out, “and that applies to Nooroo.” 

Gabriel stared down his son for a minute before relenting. Snapping his fingers, the shy lavender butterfly kwami peeked out from behind Gabriel and looked at his master. 

“Nooroo,” Gabriel said, “you are allowed to go with Adrien to his room, but you are to come back immediately when I call you.” 

Nooroo’s face seemed to light up at the chance to get away from his master. “Yes, Master. Thank you, Master.” Nooroo flew to Adrien and they went up to Adrien’s room.

Plagg was already on his third cheese wheel when Adrien and Nooroo arrived. He was sitting on Adrien’s bed, about to swallow the wheel whole when Adrien launched himself next to Plagg and nearly flung the god of destruction on the floor. 

“ADRIEN!” Plagg screamed, getting his cataclysm ready. “You better have a good excuse to FLING ME ACROSS THE ROOM WHILE I’M EATING MY CAMEM-” Plagg froze when his eyes landed on the lavender butterfly floating near the doorway. 

“Hi Plagg.” Nooroo waved, shyly. Plagg dropped his cataclysm, rushed over to Nooroo, and engulfed him in a hug. 

“Nooroo!” Plagg pulled back from his kwami friend. “You finally got away from that stinky old man.” 

“Yes,” Nooroo eased up a bit, no longer looking shy, “Your chosen convinced my master to let me come up here for a little while.” 

“Well come on!” Plagg pulled Nooroo to and on the bed, snatching Adrien’s phone from his hands as he was scrolling through social media. “There’s so much I have to show you.” Plagg found the photos app and pulled up Adrien’s secret album full of Ladybug photos. “Look, here is Sugar Cube’s holder.” 

“That’s Ladybug,” the butterfly pointed out, “I’ve seen her on Master’s screen. He doesn’t like her that much.” 

“Well duh! Ladybug kicks his butt almost every day!” Plagg scrolled to another photo, this one of Adrien with the ladybug miraculous and Ladybug with the black cat one. The superheros were doing their signature fist bump. “This was when Adrien and Pigtails had a mix up and swapped miraculouses, but between you and me, I think Pigtails looks better with my miraculous than Adrien does.” 

“Hey!” Adrien was offended. Yes, his lady always looked good, but Adrien thought he looked pretty badass as Chat Noir. 

“Just stating the facts, kid.” Plagg shrugged and continued showing Nooroo different photos and apps on Adriens’ phone. It went on like this for an hour before Nooroo felt the beckoning call of Hawkmoth and had to leave. At that point, Adrien went to his computer to start on homework before the sun set and it was time for patrol.

_ Oh no _ , Adrien thought,  _ what was he going to say to Ladybug?  _

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun set by the time Marinette called her transformation and zipped through Paris as Ladybug. 

She felt bad about not taking Adrien up on his offer to play video games, but she really did have a commission for Kitty Section to finish and ever since becoming Guardian a few years ago, she figured out how to manage her time better. And that meant doing work first and having fun later. 

Thank goodness the work was now done, because she did not want to miss the fun of patrol. 

Ladybug flew on her yo-yo toward the Eiffel Tower, where she and Chat started meeting for patrols. Ladybug was glad they decided on joint patrols instead of individual ones, it made the whole thing less stressful and let Chat take the lead whenever she was exhausted. 

Like tonight, because Ladybug was dead tired. 

As she landed on the lower observation deck of the tower, Ladybug took that time to stretch her arms over her head and yawn. 

Maybe sitting in front of her sewing machine for 3 hours was not the best idea. 

Chat Noir landed next to Ladybug when she started reaching down to touch her toes. She looked up to see him nervously fidgeting with his baton and giving her the whoops-I-did-something-stupid smile. He’s smiled at her like that one too many times for her not to recognize it. 

It was going to be a long patrol. 

“I know you did something, so just say it and get it over with.” Ladybug rested her hands on her hips and gave Chat a disapproving look. 

“What? Me? Do something? My lady, you’ve got the wrong cat. I’ve done nothing. I’ve been pawsitively purrfect.” Chat extended his baton to make a cane and leaned forward on it, his face close enough to hers to see the pure stress in his eyes and sweat on his brow. 

Ladybug squinted and moved closer to him, causing Chat to lean back in panic. “What’d you do, kitty-cat?” 

Chat gulped. “You’re gonna kill me.” 

“Probably,” Ladybug stepped back and crossed her arms, “so you might as well tell me and get it over with.” 

Chat collapsed his baton and put it behind his back. He swept his hands through his hair, trying to find the words. “So, what if I told you...that I…” Chat mumbled his next few words so quietly Ladybug couldn’t hear them.

“You wanna repeat the last part?”

“What if I...confronted…” Still the last word was mumbled.

“Fuck, Chat, just say it!” 

“I confronted Hawkmoth!” 

Ladybug blinked. She opened her mouth and closed it again, completely at a loss for words. The silence went on for a few more seconds before Chat kept talking. 

“If you’re gonna kill me, could you take me out in a cool way? Maybe chuck me across Paris so the whole city could see my imminent peril.” 

“Why,” Ladybug took a deep breath before yelling, “WOULD YOU CONFRONT HAWKMOTH??”

“Ha, yeah you see..about that...it was kind of an accident. I kind of found out about his identity when Mayura’s kwami broke into my room and so I confronted them  _ both _ and Hawkmoth and Mayura admitted to being...well..Hawkmoth and Mayura. So I made a deal with them that they would give up their miraculous in one month if they don’t manage to capture ours. Oh! I also got really cool benefits out of the deal, like I can pretty much do what I want now with my father’s permission and-” 

“Wait stop.” Ladybug held up her hand. Everything Chat said wasn’t making sense and his rambling wasn’t helping. “I need you to backtrack. Did you say  _ Mayura’s _ kwami was in your room? And you only said you confronted Hawkmoth, where does Mayura come into this?” 

“Oh yeah, sorry.” So Chat told her what happened. He omitted the part about his, Hawkmoths’, and Mayuras’ identities claiming it was a part of the deal Chat made with the villains. Ladybug doesn’t think she’ll get over the part about Chats’ father being Hawkmoth, but that was another issue to deal with another time. She accepted not knowing anyone's identities since Ladybug would know at the end of the month, anyway. 

“So, I’m assuming Hawkmoth is going to go harder on us this month with the akumas,” Ladybug knew if this was the last chance he had to get their miraculouses, Hawkmoth was going to give it his all, “so we have to be prepared for longer and harder fights.” 

Chat Noir thought for a second. “Oh yeah, I didn’t even think of that.” 

Ladybug facepalmed. Yup, it was gonna be a long patrol. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrien may have bastard energy, but I have Bastard Energy™. Evidence? This entire chapter.   
> And I love our little god of destruction being "I am darkness, fear me" one second and then IMMEDIATELY switching to baby boy the next. It warms my heart to see little Plagg loving his kwami friends. Also I have a rough outline of where I want this fic to go, right now I have a 10 chapter arc set up, so this will probably be 10 chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did i actually write an akuma fight? Yes I did "write an akuma fight".....kinda.....  
> Anyway i know this is a crackfic story and I intend to keep it that way, but there is some bit of angst in this chapter. It talks about worthlessness so if you're not comfy reading that, I have a "~" at the part where the angst starts and a "~" at where it ends. Trust me, I don't like reading random sad stuff in a normally happy story, so if it's not your jam skip it. I'll have a "here's what you missed" at the end so you can get the gist.

Adrien had gotten the akuma alert at exactly 2:36 am and he was not happy about it. 

It had been a week since he made that deal with his father. Adrien hadn’t regretted it. He felt more alive than he had his whole life. Being able to finally call his father out on something lifted an invisible weight off Adrien’s shoulders that’s been there since his mother passed. His father had always been consumed by his work, never giving enough attention to both Adrien and his mother. After Emilie….well his father didn’t exactly become Dad-Of-The-Year. Adrien had been more isolated in those last four years than he had ever been. Chat Noir helped Adrien physically get out of his jail of a home, but confronting his father lifted some of the emotional strain, as well. 

Adrien just wished the consequence of that deal didn’t involve harder akumas. 

Still feeling the exhaustion of an early morning photoshoot (yeah so maybe his father hasn’t given Adrien  _ everything _ he wanted, but in his defence, Gabriel was scary and one confrontation was enough for Adrien. His schedule did lighten up tremendously, but there was still the occasional photoshoot), Adrien jumped across rooftops as Chat Noir to meet his lady at Trocad éro Square. 

He landed on the rooftop of one of the buildings circling the area next to Ladybug, who looked like she was ready to kill. 

“Well good morning, my lady,” no matter how sleep deprived Chat was, he was always ready to pun for his lady, “looks like we might have a  _ Tough- _ adéro akuma, after all.” 

Chat’s happy grin slowly faded into one of fear as Ladybug slowly turned toward him with murder in her eyes. “If you ever. And I mean _ ever _ . Say good morning to me at 3 in the morning again. I will call my Lucky Charm as many times as it takes to get a rope, and I will wring your scrawny neck.” 

“Okay” Chat squeaked out, not breathing in fear that he’ll offend the sleep deprived Ladybug and she’ll follow through on her promise. Chat knew his lady was horrifying when she didn’t sleep, but that threat made him almost wet himself. As a 17 year old, that would’ve been embarrassing.

Ladybug turned toward the square and looked out at the only person wandering the empty space. The akuma looked like a small child from their vantage point, it was more likely they were a teenager than anything considering the slight crack in their voice when they shouted. 

“WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS SO CONTROLLING?” The akuma yelled from the square. They had a staff that resembled a walking stick, except it had sparks coming out the top whenever the akuma waved it. Whenever the sparks flew off the staff and made contact with the ground, small explosive sounds would occur and a soccer ball sized hole would open up. The square was littered with them, the akuma was probably out here for a while if they had time to make that many holes. The akuma themself were dressed like a wizard (oh Chat was definitely making fun of this to his father later) with deep blue robes and a matching pointy hat. “They  _ never _ let me do what I want!” 

_ How ironic _ , Chat thought bitterly as he jumped down to the ground, Ladybug following close behind. “Hey wizard kid! What’s got your hat in a twist?” 

The akuma whirled on him and sneered. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, you can’t stop me from wreaking havoc all over Paris!” The akuma pointed his staff at the heroes. “As soon as I create enough holes, this whole square is going to collapse and you’re going down with it.” 

Chat Noir had no idea how that would work, considering how small the holes were, but he’s not one to question an akuma, especially one fueled by rage and determination. That only gave Chat more motivation to stop them. 

“Nice try, wizard kid,” Ladybug yelled back, swinging her yo-yo as she walked toward the akuma, “but we’re not going to let you get any further than you already have.” Ladybug swung back her yo-yo to get momentum before zipping it right toward the akuma. They dodged it easily while swinging their staff toward Ladybug and Chat, sending explosive sparks their way. Chat and Ladybug jumped in opposite directions to dodge the flares. Where the lights hit, holes appeared. Chat wouldn’t have worried that much if he hadn’t looked down into the holes themselves and nearly had a heart attack. What appeared to be shallow from the rooftops, were actually very  _ very _ deep holes that ended who knows where.

If anyone were to fall into one of them, Chat doesn’t know if they’d ever reach the bottom. 

“Are you crazy?” Chat shot at the wizard akuma. What was his father thinking? Chat knew that Ladybug ended up fixing everything in the end, but what if they didn’t? There’d be an endless pit in the middle of Paris! “This is beyond dangerous, why would you do something like this?” Chat didn’t know if he was talking to Hawkmoth or the akuma at this point, but he didn’t care. It was too early in the morning to be facing certain death if he stepped in the wrong place. 

Just when he thought his shouts would go unanswered, the purple butterfly symbol appeared around the akuma and they turned to face Chat. Chat gulped, he didn’t actually think Hawkmoth would care about his comment. “You are not one to judge, since I believe the Black Cat’s power is destruction, no?” Hawkmoth replied through the akuma. Chat knew his father was just being petty, considering his tone.  _ Fine, _ Chat thought,  _ two can play this game _ . 

“Oh you can’t have my miraculous, so you’re just trying to copy me, is that it?” Chat could see Ladybug inching closer to the akuma. She had a red and black polk-a-dotted oven mitt on her hand, she gestured for Chat to keep talking. He guessed she called her Lucky Charm while he was riling up his father and figured out the akuma location. At least his family drama was helping instead of hindering, like usual. “Well, newsflash, Hawkmoth! I don’t try to kill people with my destructive powers, so maybe you might want to cool it a bit, huh?” 

~

“I do not care what you do with the destructive powers that come with your miraculous,” Hawkmoth countered his statement, “it appears I have less than a month to capture your miraculous, so if you happen to be the collateral damage in these fights, then so be it.” 

Chat’s quip died as he took in what his father implied. His eyes shifted to Ladybug, who froze, looking both sad and enraged at once. Chat didn’t want to bring his lady into his family drama and have her worry about his home life, but that one little statement seemed to have broken whatever wall they kept around their civilian lives. 

Chat thought his father’s cold demeanor toward him wasn’t personal, but now he was second guessing. “Am I really that worthless to you?” Chat’s voice wavered a bit. The thought of his only parent valuing a piece of jewelry over his own son broke something in him. He didn’t think...how could someone hate their own child so much? 

Hawkmoth didn’t bother to reply, instead releasing the akuma to send its sparks toward Chat, causing him to duck and slide. Ladybug came to her senses and, just as the akuma threw back the staff to send another volley of sparks, clamped her oven mitt covered hand over the top of the staff. She grabbed the middle and yanked it out of the akuma’s hands, snapped it over her knee and released the butterfly. 

Chat watched as she captured the akuma and set it free, finishing the fight with a “Miraculous Ladybug!” fixing the square and leaving a pre-teenage boy slumped on the ground. 

He knew he should go over there and comfort the victim with Ladybug, but Chat was still feeling that emptiness at his father’s words. For the past week, Chat just thought his father ignored him to enact his evil plans as Hawkmoth, but maybe it was because his father just didn’t want to see his son. 

Chat sat with his head in his knees, his arms coming up to wrap around his head. His thoughts came to a stop and left only sadness filling his head. It just hurt so much worse to hear his father say he means nothing to him. Chat didn’t know Ladybug came to sit in front of him until he felt her gently move his arms from around his head and run her hands through his hair. 

~

He started to breath more steadily as she worked her way behind his leather ears, scratching slightly in the way she knew calmed him down when he sank this low. It didn’t happen often, because he built up such a strong persona with Chat Noir, but when it did she always knew how to pull him up. 

Chat lifted his head to meet his lady’s eyes. She looked sad, but not in a pitiful way rather, she looked ready to either comfort him or destroy anyone who hurt him. Whichever he asked for, she would do. It was one of the many reasons why he loved this woman. 

He felt tears pricking his green eyes when Ladybug moved her hand to cup his cheek, making circles with her thumb. “Kitty,” Ladybug blinked and a single tear fell across her mask and down her cheek, “you are not worthless. You have never been worthless. I need you so much more than you know.” She took a shaky breath, tears falling down her face as she did. “I don’t care what Hawkmoth said, you mean so much more to this world than you realize and I want you here, Chat Noir.” 

Chat felt the tears fall down his mask as he broke into a sob. Ladybug moved in between his legs and wrapped her hands around his waist, pulling him into a much needed hug. Chat gripped her back tightly as another sob broke through. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adrien wasn’t in the mood to see his father or Nathalie that morning. Still feeling hurt from that akuma attack last night, his father’s words still fresh in his mind. 

Ladybug and him had stayed out for another hour, just lying in the square in each other’s arms until Adrien’s tears stopped flowing and he could breathe again. He landed in his room last night exhausted both emotionally and physically, only catching an hour of sleep before his alarm went off. 

Now Adrien sat at the dining table with his sad excuse of a breakfast. He hoped he wouldn’t see his least favorite adults for at least a day, but of course, his bad luck never ceased as Nathalie walked into the dining room holding her tablet. 

“Good morning, Adrien,” Nathalie pressed a few buttons on her tablet, “I hope you had a good night's rest.” Adrien’s face must have said it all because Nathalie then said, “nevermind. Today’s schedule is heavier than usual, with fencing in the afternoon and a photoshoot right after. Your father requested your presence at a charity event planning meeting this evening. You will accompany Lila Rossi to-”

Adrien cut her off by slamming his utensils down and storming out into the foyer. He was beyond angry hearing that his father packed his schedule  _ again _ , especially after what he said last night. Adrien was done hearing the stupid schedules his father made up for him. The deal was to lighten his load and Gabriel only made it heavier. What the fuck was the point of this agreement if his father wasn’t keeping his end of the bargain? Adrien was frustrated and done. It had only been a  _ week _ since the deal was made and his father was already breaking it. 

Well, no matter how much Adrien didn’t want to believe it, he was his father’s son and if manipulation was what Gabriel played at best, then Adrien was going to play that card too. 

“Adrien, wait!” Nathalie called after him. “Don’t go into your father’s office, he’s not in a good mood.” 

“ _ He’s _ not in a good mood!?” Nathalie visibly flinched as Adrien snapped at her. “Do you know how exhausting it is to have to get up at ungodly hours to fight some poor child Father decided to manipulate, only receive one measly hour of sleep, then to be told I have to play nice with  _ Lila Rossi _ , of all people?” He stalked up to Nathalie, practically seething as he hissed at her, “why should I keep your identities safe when you haven’t even kept up your end of the deal?” 

Nathalie gulped. “I’ll take off the charity meeting and the photoshoot. The fencing is staying because you missed your lessons for the past three days,” Nathalie paused, considering her next sentence, “and I think it would be good for you to let out your anger with the foil and not your cataclysm.” She turned away and walked up the grand staircase, presumably to her room. 

Adrien shouted so she could hear him. “And I’m not going to school today, I’m tired and I want to sleep.” 

“I’ll let your father know.” Nathalie shouted right back. Once he heard a door click shut, Adrien slowly made his way back up to his room and fell onto his bed. 

Plagg came flying out a second later. He looked at his holder, sympathy and concern washed over him as he flew down onto Adrien’s head and started purring. Usually that makes his favorite kitten feel better and Plagg thought it did for a second, until he heard the light snoring and realized Adrien had just fallen asleep. 

  
_ Close enough _ , Plagg thought. He hoped his kid would feel better, Plagg knew how hard his relationship with his father was and this seemed to be the nail in the coffin. Plagg wasn’t sure how his kid would get over this, but for now, he would take care of his kid as best he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angsty part was Gabey boy telling Sunshine child that if he was hurt in an akuma fight, Gabriel wouldn't care. So obviously Adrien got sad and thought his father hated him. 
> 
> Yeesh it's too late to be writing sad stuff...have I mentioned I write these chapters at ungodly hours? It's 1 am...why do I do this....


End file.
